Dáil debates

Wednesday, 16 November 2022

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

 

12:42 pm

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Figures given to our health spokesperson, Deputy Cullinane, indicate there were 260 chemotherapy appointments cancelled in quarter 3 of this year. One hundred and sixty of these appointments were for children. What is the Government's plan to ensure these children and thousands more in need of appointments get the care they need when they need it?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are a range of plans in place, particularly in terms of the cancer control programme and the role of cancer services. I am not sure as to the reason for those particular chemotherapy appointments being cancelled, but in terms of the overall cancer programme, it is extremely important that appointments be kept and that people get their treatments in the manner prescribed by the protocols around cancer treatment.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I wish to raise the issue of the Spiritans and the horrific abuse of children perpetrated at Blackrock College. I am glad that, in response to my question yesterday, the Taoiseach has committed to a debate on the matter in the House next week. I welcome the apology from the Spiritans this morning and the announcement of an independent process, but we still need to consider having a public inquiry, particularly to see what the State could have done to prevent the abuse.

We also need to consider current concerns. News is breaking about a person against whom serious allegations of abuse have been made and who is living on the grounds of Blackrock College. I have been supplied with the name of that person and I understand he is living in Willow Park Lodge. There are current issues around child protection concerns that an inquiry needs to look into. I look forward to having a debate in the House on the nature of any inquiry that needs to be undertaken and the nature of ongoing concerns that many survivors have expressed to me and others in the House.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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If information has come, it should obviously be referred to the Garda-----

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I understand.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----immediately. We must allow the Garda to pursue cases.

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Absolutely.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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People should be brought before and held accountable to our criminal justice system. There can be no hiding place for anyone in that respect. That will be an issue we will have to assess in terms of what potentially will be the impact of an inquiry on cases that are live and current and are being proceeded with. I will engage with the Deputy further on the matter.

Photo of Cian O'CallaghanCian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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Yesterday, I asked the Taoiseach about the Government making incorrect claims about housing delivery. He was not able to give a full answer, so I wish to ask him about it again. The Government claims 1,765 new-build social homes were delivered in the first half of this year. Analysis by Laoise Neylon of the Dublin InQuirershows that the majority of social homes in Dublin city that were categorised as delivered in the first half of this year were not completed. Out of 200 homes claimed to be delivered, 138 were not finished and were still being worked on several months later. This is not disputed by the organisations involved in their delivery. Why are homes that are not completed ending up in the official completion figures of social homes and is this happening in other parts of the country as well?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am not clear on the big picture point the Deputy is making. We are commencing houses. We are allocating resources to approved housing bodies and to local authorities to build social houses. We want them built as fast as we can get them built and, on a 12-month basis, we can see at the end of the year how many we get built, how many we acquire and how many we lease. That is the key point.

Photo of Cian O'CallaghanCian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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The Government is telling us that homes are finished when they are not.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will go back to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and get it to respond to the Deputy's specific query, but the broader point is we set a target of 24,600 units of all types of housing this year. We want to exceed that if we can. Next year, we have a target of 29,000, which will be more challenging because of pipeline issues and so on, but we are determined to try to reach the targets we have set on an annual basis.

Photo of Gino KennyGino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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My question is on the shortage of secondary school places. I can speak for Clondalkin in the constituency I represent, Dublin Mid-West. The shortage is so acute at the moment that a number of schools have large waiting lists of 50, 60 or 70 students. What normally happens is that most students will find a school in their vicinity. In the academic year starting next September, though, students will not be able to find a place in the area whatsoever. Children not having a place is not acceptable. This is an issue of capacity and resources, but how can the Taoiseach put parents' minds at ease about students having places come next September?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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What I would ask is for the Deputy to send the details to the Minister for Education in respect of the specific schools. Every effort should be made, be it by providing temporary accommodation in respect of some areas, to make sure that kids and young people can access schooling.

As the Deputy has said, some of this can get resolved by the time the next academic year starts, but there are mechanisms now whereby schools work together with regard to transparency around the lists and those who apply to different schools to try to ease the anxiety and worry that many students and parents feel.

12:52 pm

Photo of Cathal BerryCathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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I welcome the Taoiseach and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Simon Harris. I very much welcome the €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee that was announced in the budget. It is relevant for this academic year. On balance it is a good thing and is making a very positive difference downstream. Unfortunately, it is only relevant to students who are eligible for the free fees initiative. The Taoiseach may or may not be aware that there are two groups of students who are excluded from this scheme: those who are repeating an academic year and those who are doing a second degree such as graduate entry medical students. I would be grateful if the Taoiseach and the Minister could look into this to see if we can get these two cohorts of students into the scheme. It will make a huge difference to those affected.

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Berry for raising the initiative. This is the week that refunds have started flowing into students' accounts, which is the €1,000 refund. We will also see the bonus student grant payment on 16 December, and all student grants rising by between 10% and 14% from January.

I will look at the two specific groups the Deputy has referred to. I must point out that this is the first reduction in student fees in some 27 years. We will also have other measures, such as the student assistance fund, to assist the students in financial hardship. I will refer to Deputy directly.

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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The first home scheme, under the Government's Housing For All programme sets the maximum property price ceiling for houses in Tipperary at €250,000, while neighbouring counties are set at €300,000 and the maximum purchase in some other areas goes as far as €450,000. The housing crisis exists in every county and the costs for building houses are similar. In Tipperary we want to attract developers to build houses so that families can get into housing. Developers tell me it is unattractive for them to build in Tipperary in comparison with Laois, which is next door, Offaly, Limerick and Waterford, where they can make a reasonable profit due to the higher supports there. The scheme needs to be a level playing field. Why has Tipperary such a low purchase ceiling? Has the Government has any plans to increase this to make it a level playing field with our neighbouring counties? We want to help families to try to get into housing. It is a good scheme but it needs to be tweaked to have fairness and balance for my county in comparison with every other county.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the Deputy's acknowledgement that this is a good scheme. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, about the specific issue the Deputy has raised. I presume it is to do with valuations - I am not sure - as to why different rates apply to different counties. I will follow it up. I know it is the Deputy's objective that we would create a scheme that can help people and get people into housing. I accept that. I will follow it up.

Photo of Michael McNamaraMichael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I listened intently to the Taoiseach's response the to Deputy Boyd Barrett yesterday when the Taoiseach said he did not believe every trade deal the European Commission engaged in should be put to a referendum. Does the Taoiseach believe Mercosur should have to be ratified by individual parliaments or by referendums, or does the Taoiseach believe the Commission should be able to ratify that directly without consultation with national capitals' parliaments?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The negotiation of trade deals is a Commission function and Parliament here can decide to ratify it, if it wishes, or not. We must have a balanced approach to this. I have not heard compelling arguments against free trade agreements, particularly from a country like Ireland, which is an open economy that exports 90% of its goods and services and creates thousands of jobs. The Canadian deal has been very beneficial but everyone is condemning it. Actually, it has been beneficial. There are 400 Enterprise Ireland client companies benefiting from the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, and many more companies are getting good access to the Canadian market, and vice versa. The Supreme Court has brought clarity to it and I believe we can deal with it. Obviously we must analyse the judgment.

Photo of Michael McNamaraMichael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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Under Standing Order 54, I can ask that a Minister, including the Taoiseach, be compelled to answer a question. My question is, should national capitals' parliaments have to be consulted on Mercosur or can they be bypassed?

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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The Deputy has asked his question.

Photo of Michael McNamaraMichael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I can also ask for a direction of the Chair under Standing Order 54.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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The Deputy did not ask for a direction of the Chair.

Photo of Michael McNamaraMichael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I am asking for a direction of the Chair.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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No, the Deputy did not. I will pass on now. The Deputy did not ask for a direction of the Chair.

Photo of Michael McNamaraMichael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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The Taoiseach did not answer the question. I am asking the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for a direction.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I am moving on-----

Photo of Michael McNamaraMichael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I am asking the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for a direction.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I am moving on. The Deputy persisted in asking the question without getting the permission of the Chair. He might try it another time.

Photo of Michael McNamaraMichael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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I am asking the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for a direction that the Taoiseach did not answer the question.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I will not give a direction at this point. It has been dealt with. It has been dealt with in the sense that the Deputy asked the question and then proceeded to quote Standing Orders without waiting.

Photo of Aindrias MoynihanAindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I need to raise a road safety matter with the Taoiseach. On rural roads there is an increase in incidents of wild deer in collisions with cars, especially now during the rutting season. There seem to be more of them throughout the country. Drivers really are not expecting to be dealing with that kind of a hazard. They might see a sign but many drivers do not recognise the danger of it. There have been four incidents on the N22 east of Macroom recently, and another car was written off on the N22 just west of Baile Bhuirne. Drivers are not expecting that kind of a hazard. During the rutting season the wild deer have no interest in traffic; they have a different focus. The Road Safety Authority, RSA, has a focus on promoting road safety, it has the budgets, and it should be drawing the attention of drivers to this. Could the matter be raised with the RSA to promote road safety and to raise awareness of the hazard?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this very important road safety issue. I will write to the RSA to communicate his views and concerns around the road safety aspect of this. It is complex with regard to the wider issues and how we deal with it. I will not go into the different methodologies and so on. I have been reading a lot of articles on what they do in other jurisdictions, but if we were to mention it here, it would only be treated in the wrong way. The Deputy has raised this as a road safety issue and the Deputy understands what is happening as he is on the ground. I will follow it up.

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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We can be exceptionally proud of the work we have achieved as a country in educational attainment. The route presented to my dad for education when compared with that presented to my son are such that it is like two different countries. We have crossed many extraordinary milestones in that regard but there is one remaining milestone to be crossed, which relates to the provision of further education and training. The Minister, Deputy Harris, made a significant announcement this morning on funding the establishment of the Atlantic Technological University, ATU. We also need to look at the infrastructure that we provide for the delivery of further education and training, FET, in this country. The people operating in that sector are deserving of our respect and we need to have infrastructure and buildings that convey respect to a sector that has a huge role to play in education in Ireland. The Galway-Roscommon Education and Training Board, GRETB, currently has a very significant proposal before the Department for a new FET college that could and should become the exemplar for the development of similar facilities throughout the country. I urge the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Harris, to consider that application favourably. If we look at what is happening in Armagh, we should be following that example and looking to give the respect to the students and practitioners who operate in our FET sector.

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Cannon for raising this issue. The Deputy is so right that there has been huge progress when it comes to further education and training. We are all proud of what happens in that sector but we are not proud of the infrastructure in which people have to operate. As the Deputy has rightly said, GRETB has submitted a very good proposal relating to Mervue in Galway city, beside the ATU, which would significantly increase capacity and improve infrastructure. I expect to have an update on that project in the next month.

Photo of Paul DonnellyPaul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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On Monday evening, I attended a meeting with senior management, teachers, and parents of Coolmine Community School, along with union representatives. Despite months of efforts by the principal and others, first year and second year students have no woodwork, no metalwork, and no technical graphics, because there are no there are no teachers available. There are many reasons for this, which have been building up over the years, but the housing crisis has exacerbated those problems even more, making it difficult to recruit teachers. What is the plan is to provide a full range of educational opportunities for all our students?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I would not be immediately aware of the details of that specific school and the issues there. Suffice it to say, the quality and commitment of Irish teachers are the bedrock of our education system. I will ask the Minister for Education to look at the specifics to see what can be done to help the school more broadly in terms of the curriculum choice that requires the specialist teachers and how we can assist in making sure they can get the teachers concerned.

1:02 pm

Photo of Louise O'ReillyLouise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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Security workers have not had a pay rise since 2019. An employment regulation order, ERO, to increase their pay and conditions has been challenged for a second time by three security companies. Some of these companies have extremely lucrative contracts with the State. On the one hand, the companies are negotiating multimillion euro contracts with the State, while on the other, they are doing their utmost to deny decent pay and conditions to their workers, who are delivering on these contracts with the State. I ask for an update on the Government's defence of the ERO on behalf of security workers. Are there plans to consider whether further contracts should be negotiated with these companies? Their workers deliver contracts on behalf of the State, while the same workers watch on as these companies take the Government, essentially, to court to deny workers the pay rise they deserve.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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State contracts are issued in accordance with European Union procurement law. There is very little the State can do to cherry-pick who gets or does not get a contract. There are times when local authorities, states or even governments might like to do that, but then you are down a slippery slope. We urge that EROs not be challenged in the manner this one is being challenged. I will come back to the Deputy on a specific update. I will get information and communicate it to her as to where we are now.

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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In the coming weeks, the Government will introduce the €1,000 State financial support towards student fees. It is a once-off payment and is, unfortunately, not at present applicable to those studying in Northern Ireland, Britain or elsewhere outside our State. That is wrong. We have to encourage students to travel to study on a cross-Border basis, particularly in our own country. This needs to be revisited.

There is also the welcome introduction of the rental tax credit of €500 to parents of third level students paying their child's rent in a tenancy registered with the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB. That should also be applicable to students whose parents are paying for registered accommodation outside the State.

Whatever obstacles exist to ensuring those two benefits are applied to all Irish students should be removed without delay. It is within the capacity of Government to ensure a level playing field and that students who, in many cases, did not obtain places in the State and are studying elsewhere are not disadvantaged.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this. He has consistently raised this issue. It was a significant initiative by Government to reduce student fees by €1,000 this year and €500 next September. There have been post-Brexit changes, generally speaking, in terms of the grant regime in Scotland vis-á-visIrish students and fees. I will discuss this again with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to see what can be done but it is not as straightforward as we would like. I will see what can be done about both issues the Deputy raised.

Photo of Neale RichmondNeale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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In the last couple of hours, we have seen that the Russian Federation has taken the decision to sanction the Taoiseach, the Ceann Comhairle and a number of Cabinet Ministers and Members of this House and the Seanad in a disgraceful statement that ends with a line stating that, in relation to further action, the Russian Government will be guided by its embassy in Dublin. This is a very disappointing occurrence and a further act from a terrorist regime raining misery on our continent. Is it not finally time to shut down the Russian Embassy in my constituency, expel the ambassador and cut off the constant channel of misinformation, disinformation and aggression from these so-called diplomats?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for alerting me to the news that I am sanctioned. It is a new development. I do not think I have ever been sanctioned before. I will have to be updated on that and see what the implications of it are. It is part of a broader propaganda war being waged by Russia. As I said in relation to Deputy Danny Healy-Rae's comments on the challenges around accommodation of Ukrainians, we all have to stand together across Europe on this. Diplomatic channels are the last resort, always. Diplomacy matters, no matter how unpalatable it can be. Cool heads are always required in situations like this. We will see what has been said.

Photo of Pauline TullyPauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Last week it was brought to my attention that persons in receipt of disability payment from the Department of Social Protection who had taken up training and been transferred to a training allowance for the duration would not be entitled to the €500 lump sum. I raised it with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte. She was to raise it the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and I think it is to be addressed. I am raising it here again to make sure, because there is confusion, that this applies to people on community employment, CE, schemes and in back-to-work education. They have transferred from disability to a different payment for a short time while undergoing education or training or while on employment schemes. Pensioners should also be entitled to this. If they have a disability, it does not disappear once they turn 66. They still have an additional cost of disability to contend with. Will the Taoiseach provide clarification and a commitment that the additional payments given to people, mostly to address exorbitant energy costs, will not be used in means tests next year for social housing, SUSI grants, medical cards etc?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising that. It has been raised by a number of Deputies. Regarding any anomalies of that kind, we do not want to punish people for being on a training course or that they would lose the once-off payment. We will come back to the Deputy to clarify that but my understanding is those anomalies are being dealt with. The Deputy raised issues in terms of pensions, which are broader social protection policy issues. On means testing, these are once-off payments in respect of an energy crisis and should not affect means tests.

Photo of Marc Ó CathasaighMarc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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Before coming here, I met with representatives of the Samaritans in Buswells Hotel. I met with John and Eddie from the Waterford branch. They told me the only person who receives a payment of any kind in that branch is the person who comes in to clean once a week. It is an outstanding voluntary organisation. If people have a need to pick up the phone, somebody will be at the far end of the line 24-7 to pick up and talk to them. You will have a fully trained volunteer on the end of the line. There will be no judgment or pressure. You are advised to let it all out and you are in charge of your own call.

The representatives I met did not have a specific ask and I told them that is something they had to come back with, more usefully, but they did say that many of the phone calls they get now relate to loneliness. That has been very much exacerbated by the multiple lockdowns we had to deal with the pandemic. Are we doing enough to tackle the scourge of loneliness across our society?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for highlighting the fantastic work the Samaritans do. When I was Minister for Health we had a discrete lottery fund allocation at the time and were able to assist Dublin and Cork Samaritans with new facilities. We should always seek to ensure their facilities are good and any training or whatever is supported. That is theiresprit de corpsand ethos.

The Deputy's important point concerned loneliness and the need for Government to adopt policies across education and the community more generally through Pobal and other initiatives to ease that huge issue.

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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At the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment this morning, we met representatives from the SME community and listened to the tsunami of difficulties facing small and medium-sized businesses in this country. They range from energy bills to delays in accessing energy grants and rebates, on top of rising rates, insurance problems and town planning issues, which are crippling many businesses coming up to Christmas.

The representatives have asked for two things. First is the inclusion of ISME on the board of the Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, which I previously brought up in this House. Second is the creation of a body to help non-exporting businesses access export markets in terms of the domestic economy. I ask one more thing. Given the significant problems in the indigenous sector, will the Government look at developing an emergency task force to look at the incredible challenges facing small business? Otherwise, we will have a raft of business redundancies and unemployment in the new year.

1:12 pm

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. Small to medium enterprises are the backbone of our economy. My understanding is that there was a task force up to a year ago and that it has completed its work and its recommendations have been implemented by the Ministers of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. LEEF does very valuable work. There is a long-standing issue with ISME. IBEC is on LEEF representing -----

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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ISME is not.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I know but there is an SME component to IBEC too. I know the issues. There is a multiplicity, or really two bodies in the main, in the SME category.

Generally on the export side, Enterprise Ireland looks after export companies. I have always thought there should be a continuum from the local enterprise offices, LEOS, or from the microenterprise sector to enable companies to get to the start-up position and export.

Photo of Pa DalyPa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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I recently came across a Parliamentary Question from 22 February 1951 which asked when was it intended to proceed with the Annascaul water and sewerage schemes. The reply was that the Minister was not in a position to state when the work would commence. Seventy-one years later, we had a briefing from Kerry County Council on the residential-zoned land tax that there are more small towns and villages out of the scope of the tax than are actually in scope. Annascaul is at maximum capacity and needs work on its wastewater treatment. That is in addition to other places. There are three students here from Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí who might be interested. Annascaul, Camp, Glenbeigh, Fenit, Castlegregory, Kilflynn among others need it. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, says that it will be 20 years before water can be adequately cleaned. Development in these towns and villages is being hampered because you cannot build more than two houses because the system is not there. When will the Government do a proper system and allocate proper money so that these can proceed?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I was reading a chapter of Mark Henry's book,In Fact: An Optimist's Guide to Ireland at 100the other night. It goes over the progress made in 100 years. Since the 1990s, there has been a transformation and dramatic improvement in wastewater compared with where we were through wastewater treatment plants and so on and a whole range of other issues. I am not clear why the situation is as it is in Annascaul but I will follow it up with the Minister. Níl aon amhras ach gurb é an scéal is fearr ná áiseanna den saghas seo a chur ar fáil do na bailte éagsúla ar fud na tíre, go háirithe Abhainn an Scáil. Táim sásta déileáil leis an Aire, an cheist a chur an Teachta orm a ardú leis, freagra a fháil agus réiteach na faidhbe a chur i bhfeidhm.

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I am sorry to have to bring this to the floor but 12 months ago, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, and some stakeholders including the National Road Authority, NRA, Wexford County Council, and the Irish Road Haulage Association, IRHA, had a meeting on traffic management in Rosslare particularly at this time of year when boats will unfortunately be disrupted due to adverse weather conditions. No progress has been made despite the fact that TII and the Department of Transport have sent emails to say that they would provide 20 car park spaces for HGV vehicles within the customs facility.

The Taoiseach was there himself. It is an expansive facility. It holds 53 trucks. It is used to the tune of four trucks at any one time. The traffic to the UK has reduced substantially and is now around 20% of Rosslare's traffic over the direct ferry. We need road safety. Kilrane National School has 350 children partaking in the road safety programme. Will the Taoiseach please intervene?

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I think the Deputy must acknowledge that there has been tremendous investment by this Government in Rosslare. It has been unprecedented in recent decades.

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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By the EU.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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No, not by the EU, it was by the Government. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform can give it list by list on customs funding and so on as a result of Brexit under the previous Government, as well as new development. Rosslare has been a beneficiary of Brexit, as it turned out, and also now there is also the area of offshore wind coming. I see very good potential for Rosslare.

On the specifics, I will talk to the relevant authorities but these are issues where there are authorities on the ground who should be doing these things. I cannot micromanage every car parking space in the country.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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With the Taoiseach's co-operation there are two speakers left. I will take them together.

Photo of Violet-Anne WynneViolet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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Children with complex additional needs are some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Children's disability network teams, CDNTs, play a vital role in the development and support of these children and their families. I am horrified that today, 99 Clare children who have been referred are still waiting to be seen by the CDNT in Clare. That does not take account of the children that still await a referral. The programme for Government commits explicitly to support the services. However, these families are being failed. What can the Taoiseach tell these children and their families today?

Photo of Cathal CroweCathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The new agri climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, for farmers is a couple of weeks from being nailed down. It is a good scheme but unfortunately, there are some cohorts which do not quite fit in. Farmers who are on the hen harrier scheme and superficially in Clare, Burren farmers. There are 400 farmers in Clare in the Burren Life programme. It is a fantastic project which is run by Dr. Brendan Dunford and his team. I have met them and the Irish Farmers Association, IFA. The new scheme does not cater for them. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, will meet them next Tuesday and hopefully there will be a positive outcome. This is a project that has led the way. The fields in the Burren are scored on a one to ten grade. Farmers are paid by the environmental inputs. The project has been recognised by UNESCO. I do not know of any farm, field or tract of land that has been recognised in Europe apart from the Burren. It is now a geopark.

Will the Taoiseach comment on the mass resignation of board members from Horse Sport Ireland?

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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No, Deputy. I let you in for one item.

Photo of Cathal CroweCathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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It is of major concern.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The issue of CDNTs is one of recruitment of the therapists. I have convened meetings with the Ministers for Health and Education, Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the HSE to prioritise the recruitment of therapists for special needs children. I have had issues on how this has progressed in certain areas with disability where children's access to therapists is not optimal. The issue seems to be particularly acute in the disability services in respect of the capacity to recruit therapists. Other sectors of the health service seem to have a better track record of recruiting therapists. That is an issue that needs to be sorted out by the HSE in respect of recruiting sufficient therapists for disability services for children.

ACRES is a fantastic scheme. I have a note here which I can share with the Deputy. I think that it is being expanded. The Burren programme involves a total area of just 11,000 ha of habitat being scored as a result of the results-based assessment. By comparison, under ACRES it is expected that almost 40,000 ha will be scored. That is a significant upscaling of environmental monitoring and assessment of that region. I have heard some concerns that farmers might get a lesser amount or whatever. I think that we have to address that. I will engage with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on that because we want to reward people doing good by the environment. We have to make sure that the entire thing is environmentally sound and that we do not lose the gains that have been made by the original programme.

The Minister is evaluating the situation regarding Horse Racing Ireland and I will come back to the Deputy on that.